What Is Your Definition Of Disease?

What Is Your Definition Of Disease?

It Has A Massive Impact On Your Experience Of Health

What Is Your Definition Of Disease?

When it comes to experiencing better-than-average health, understanding the definition of disease is going to help you, may be more than you realise. Clients that find high levels of health, healing and wellbeing pretty much have a good understanding, in one way or another. In this article I will share with you some of the ways that we can understand ‘what is disease’ and how this can, and does, affect your experience of health. I’m giving you an overview here so you can start to use some of this thinking as you move towards better health.

I am going to interchange the words disease, illness, health, wellbeing and healing. Each have their own definition (which I won’t go into here) and yet you almost can’t consider one without the other.

 

Cause – Effect:  A Simplistic Understanding

One definition of disease encompasses the fundamental principle of cause and effect (germ theory: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/germ-theory). There is trigger, be it a bacteria or virus. The definition can be extended to include genetics, certain environmental factors, or lifestyle habits, that sets off a chain reaction within the body. This results in symptoms or conditions that can be considered disease. This understanding  is what underpins ‘modern’ medicine.

 

What is disease?
Bacteria etc, explain the cause – effect model of disease

 

Can You Be Healthy With Illness?

As we begin to define disease, in any way, we have to ask the question, “can one be healthy and still have a disease?” Surprisingly, the answer isn’t always straightforward. Health isn’t merely the absence of disease but rather a holistic state of balance. It includes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Therefore, individuals can be healthy or experience wellbeing while having an illness.

 

What does it take to be healthy?
What does it take to be healthy?

Disease Is Not Only Physical
As we look a little deeper, we uncover that disease is not confined to physical (including psychological / psychiatric) ailments. It encompasses our whole experience. For example, the mind-body connection plays a powerful role in our thoughts, emotions and spiritual inclinations. This then affects us physically. This idea is very much aligned to using out thoughts and emotions to positively affect our health.Check out my article on manifesting health. (https://andrewjamesnaturopath.com/manifesting-health/)

 

Illness involves much more than the physical

Disease Is Spiritual!

Contemplating what is disease, is going to differ depending on the culture and societal groups. Illness is understood in different ways. Traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, views disease as an imbalance in the flow of vital energy, known as chi. This holistic paradigm contrasts with western medicine’s premise of cause – effect’ as I mentioned before.

As we understand disease, health and wellbeing, is become apparent that our perceptions and beliefs profoundly influence our experience of, for example, how healthy we are and feel. Some cultures interpret illness as a spiritual phenomenon, attributing its origins to metaphysical forces or divine interventions. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481387

So What’s Your Understanding Of Disease?

Let me finish by saying the definition of disease is a complex discussion. Yet if you draw on some of the ideas I have discussed here, you can shape your understanding of health and disease in a way that is true and is going to support your desire to enjoy the best health possible. How you think about illness can and does affect the level of wellbeing you experience.

 

 

Pictures
Bacteria Green Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay bacteria-426997_640
https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=426997
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=426997
socer & crutchers sport-2706937_640
Image by Erik Smit from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/eriksmit-5800810/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2706937
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2706937
woman-3186741_640 Image by Silvia from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/silviarita-3142410/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3186741
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3186741
balloon-3206530_640 Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/noname_13-2364555/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3206530
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=320653

Manifesting Health

Manifesting Health With Your Powers of Positive Intentions

In the realm of holistic healing, the concept of manifesting health extends beyond the physical; when we address health and healing we see an interplay between mind, body, and spirit. At the core of this, in a practical sense, lies Law of Attraction (LOA) principles. It also involves other body- mind techniques that harness universal principles that the power of positive intentions. These can (and in my understanding do) shape our reality and our experience of life. And this is how we contribute to manifesting health.

 

Easy Principles For You To Follow

In this article, I’m going to share with you a solid outline that you can follow and begin to take advantage of what I like to call a Health Mindset. As a Naturopath & Homeopath, I have seen wonderful results using Natural medicines over the years. When Mind-Body and LOA principles are used as well, I have seen even better more profound results!

The Key To Manifesting Health

Central to the philosophy of LOA and the Healthy Mindset, is the belief that like attracts like. Things that which we focus our thoughts and energy on, we attract into our lives or they become more dominant. When it comes to health, this principle encourages you to develop an expectancy towards health and healing. By harnessing the power of our thoughts, emotions and intentions, we become active participants in the co-creation of our own health experience. This can mean improved health, better healing or perhaps a stronger sense of wellbeing, peace and balance.

Manifest good health
“We can choose what we focus on.”

 

Dreams Or Desires?

Now I want to be really clear here. I like to make the distinction between focusing on what we can call a ‘dream’ compared to focusing on a ‘desire’. For example, we can dream that in our lifetime, we will be able to travel to and live on Venus. Or we can have the desire that we are going to travel the world and experience new and wonderful places. See the difference? One is pretty unrealistic as far as we can tell while the other does seem within the realms of possibility. It’s important to apply this principle to ourselves when it come to issues of health.
The steps that can help manifest good health begin with the cultivation of a positive mental attitude. By consciously choosing to focus on thoughts of health, vitality or resilience, you plant the seeds of healing, consciously and subconsciously. Instead of allowing fear, doubt, symptoms, or illness to be dominant, you can choose to focus, as much as you can, on your vitality, ability to heal, ability to enjoy life and be at peace. As much as you can, you can make this conscious switch to these ‘positive’ aspects. Of course there are times that this seems impossible, say if you are in a lot of pain, grieving the loss of a loved one, or overwhelmed with symptoms. But when you can, you shift your attention.

“How ‘realistic’ is it to travel to Venus in your lifetime?”

Goals For Manifesting Health

Setting clear health goals are like having a compass on your journey. They guide you towards the things you want and desire. This applies to a super-nourishing diet, a regular and enjoyable exercise routine, finding a treatment that is going to move you forward in a positive way. By anchoring our intentions into specific, achievable goals, we provide focus that helps to keep us to manifest good health.

 

“Setting your goals and having a vision”

 

Make It Real

Crucial to the process of manifesting better health, healing and wellbeing, is the practice of visualization. We all know this right? But like many things it is something to develop and evolve and basically, to become better at it. Engage your senses, emotions and intuition and make it a visceral experience. Physiologically, for example, with each mental image, we strengthen the neural pathways that align us with our desired state of well-being, paving the way for its manifestation in our reality.

 

Acknowledge The Positive

Strengthening gratitude can further focus our intentions. This is where we get a little ‘spiritual’. You can have this sense of appreciation for the blessings that you have in life. Sometime, yes you have to look hard to see them, other times there are so many right in front of us. By cultivating gratitude for the gift of health and wellbeing, I believe we are acknowledging a higher power if you like. Some thing or some being, or certain circumstances have provided these wonderful things in our life – the ability to think, see, walk, heal, have positive relationships with others. As a homoeopath & Naturopath I am always appreciate of the wonderful medicines and techniques available to all of us to help us on our humanly path!

 

“Acknowledging the positive”

To be a human being, we face of challenges and setbacks, all of us experience. This includes illness, disease, accidents, less than optimal wellbeing. There are many ways to respond to these but if you want to develop your Health Mindset and contribute to manifesting health, here’s what you could do.

Accept: As much as you can, accept the here and now and what your ‘status quo’ actually is. Now this can be a huge step sometimes, but I won’t go further into this here. That’s another article!

Opportunity: Many practitioners of LOA will see these events as opportunities to grow and evolve. They may lead you to taking actions that will enhance your health. Suffering an illness has the potential to deepen and strengthen your sense of well being. Not feeling as healthy as you want to, can lead you to seeking homoeopatic treatment, for example or other forms of treatment that you haven’t considered.
The path to manifesting health and finding more resilient levels of wellbeing, is not a solitary one. Many people across the globe have a high degree of ‘intentional wellbeing’ and are great manifesters of health. Most of the clients I see fit into this category at some level. Basically they know there is more to health and wellbeing than taking a supplement, or taking a pharmaceutical!

So start today, start now and begin manifesting health into your life. Actively nourish your sense of wellbeing and most importantly, be open to all the ways you can do this. Sometimes when you want your health to be better you have to do something differently, or to tweak and modify what you are already doing.

 

Pictures
blue sparkling lights. Main picture: . blue-313995_640
https://pixabay.com/users/aimeev83-212997/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=313995
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=313995
Target
vision-2372177_640 Image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/wokandapix-614097/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2372177
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2372177
thinking man
man-1276384_640
Image by Carlos Alvarenga from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/carlosalvarenga-2116392/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1276384
“>Carlos Alvarenga “https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1276384
venus-11022_640
https://pixabay.com/users/wikiimages-1897/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=11022
https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=11022
References
1. https://healingwithloa.com

Liver Detox

The Liver Detox Juice

Cleanse And Rejuvenate Your Liver with Nourishing Vegetable Juices

Look no further than the power of a Liver Detox Juice. It’s simply a combination of vegetable juices. This is a natural way to rejuvenate your liver and enhance your overall well-being. Our liver works tirelessly to detoxify our bodies from toxins and impurities, making it essential to support its function through proper nutrition. The liver is also connected to and affects other organs of your body such as your digestive tract and thyroid. Incorporating nutrient-rich vegetable juices, and small, diluted amounts of fruit juice, can provide your liver with the nourishment it needs to thrive and stimulates cleaning. You can use this information if you want to do a 3 day liver cleanse juice.

Beetroot: Liver Detox Juice Essential

Beetroot juice is renowned for its detoxifying properties and is a staple in liver cleansing protocols. (1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31353701/) Rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients, beetroot helps stimulate liver function and promotes the elimination of toxins from the body. Its vibrant colour signifies the presence of betalains, compounds that support liver health and aid in detoxification processes. Start your day with a refreshing blend vegetable juice including beetroot to help kick start your liver detox journey.

Supportive Greens For Liver Health
Incorporating leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and dandelion greens into your juice blends can further support liver health. These greens are packed with chlorophyll, a powerful detoxifier that helps cleanse the liver and purify the bloodstream. Kale, in particular, contains glucosinolates, compounds known for their ability to promote liver detoxification enzymes. Mix and match your favourite greens to create delicious and nutritious juice combinations that nourish your body from the inside out.

Balancing With Small Amounts of Fruit Juice
While vegetables take centre stage in liver detoxification, incorporating small, diluted amounts of fruit juice can add a touch of sweetness and flavour to your blends. Citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are rich in vitamin C, which supports liver function and aids in the production of glutathione, a potent antioxidant crucial for detoxification. Additionally, apples contain pectin, a soluble fibre that helps remove toxins from the digestive tract, supporting overall liver health. Be mindful of the sugar content in fruit juices and opt for whole fruits whenever possible to maximize nutritional benefits. https://andrewjamesnaturopath.com/is-water-a-massive-stress-on-your-body/

Hydration and Liver Cleansing
Proper hydration is essential for optimal liver function and detoxification. Alongside vegetable juices, ensure you’re drinking an adequate amount of filtered water throughout the day to flush out toxins and support kidney function. Herbal teas such as dandelion root and milk thistle can also complement your liver detox regimen by promoting bile production and supporting liver regeneration. But really, any herbal tea is going to give you the fluids you need, enhancing the Liver Detox Juice approach, even more. By staying hydrated and incorporating nourishing vegetable juices into your daily routine, you can promote liver health and enhance your overall vitality. You might like to check out my article on water – a few really interesting facts to be aware of when it comes to hydration and the H2O!

https://andrewjamesnaturopath.com/is-water-a-massive-stress-on-your-body/

Nourish Your Liver, Nourish Your Body
Incorporating vegetable juices into your diet is a simple yet effective way to support liver health and cleansing and promote overall well-being. By harnessing the power of nutrient-dense vegetables like beetroot and leafy greens, along with small amounts of fruit juice, you can nourish your body and rejuvenate your liver. Remember to prioritize hydration and complement your juice regimen with healthy lifestyle practices for optimal results. Embrace the healing properties of nature’s bounty and embark on a journey toward vibrant health and vitality.

Pulp Me UP
Now it is really important to add the pulp to your juices. It nis jammed packed with the all essential fibre as well as massive amounts of nutrients. Even if you don’t use all the pulp, then please add a spoonful or three into the mix! This will significantly improve your Liver Detox Juice.

Equipment

Ideally it will be easier to invest in a juicer if you don’t already have one. As for the type, well there are pros and cons for the various model. Personally I think any juicer is better than none at all! You can also use a blender. This will result in all the pulp being retained so you can strain some of that out using a strainer. Now there is going to be more waste doing it this way for sure, but it is an option.

Medical Exceptions
Warning: when altering your diet you need to understand that there are some conditions and situations that having juices as I’m discussing in this article, is not good for your health or indeed dangerous (eg: gall stones). Please consult your health care professional to get the ok before you go on a juice liver detox.

 

Delicious Combinations
Start your liver detox journey today and experience the transformative benefits of nourishing your body from the inside out. Her are 8 combinations you can use as a base for making your juices.

1. The Green Goddess: Spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, green apple, lemon, ginger.
2. Root Rejuvenator: Carrot, beetroot, ginger, turmeric, apple, lemon.
3. Vibrant Veggie: Bell pepper, tomato, carrot, celery, parsley, lemon, cayenne pepper.
4. Cleansing Greens: Cucumber, celery, kale, spinach, parsley, lemon, mint.
5. Sweet and Savory: carrot, apple, ginger, cinnamon, sweet potato (small amount cooked and mashed and added to juice)
6. Zesty Zing: Beetroot, orange, carrot, ginger, turmeric, lemon.
7. Refreshing Garden: Cucumber, celery, fennel, apple, mint, lime.
8. Tropical Twist: Pineapple, spinach, cucumber, kale, lime, coconut water.

These combinations offer a variety of flavours and nutritional benefits, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support overall health and well-being. Feel free to experiment with different ratios and ingredients to find your perfect juice blend!

 

Pictures
(1) Main Picture 3 glasses. juice-2561339_640 Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/stocksnap-894430/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2561339
(2) smoothie-7320560_640 green Image by Silvia from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/silviarita-3142410/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=7320560
(3) smoothies-3176371_640 Pink Image by Silvia from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/silviarita-3142410/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3176371
(4) carrot-juice-1623157_640 Image by Ilo from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/users/couleur-1195798/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1623157
References
These references provide scientific support for the benefits of vegetable juices, including beetroot and leafy greens, in promoting liver health and overall well-being. They also highlight the importance of hydration and the role of specific nutrients in supporting detoxification processes in the body.
1. Ahmed, O. M., et al. (2013). Beetroot Juice Protects Against Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity and Renal Function in Rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 52, 44-50. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31353701/
2. Kim, J. H., et al. (2015). Effects of Grapefruit, Lemon and Seville Orange Juices on Drug Metabolizing Enzymes in Humans. Phytotherapy Research, 29(7), 1019-1024.
3. Ghasemian, M., et al. (2018). The Effect of Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) Seeds on Liver Function and Plasma Lipids in Rats Fed High-Fat Diet. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 15(3), 380-388.
4. Stahl, W., & Sies, H. (2003). Antioxidant Activity of Carotenoids. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 24(6), 345-351.
5. Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. E. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Atria Books.